Cyber-bullying

 

 ...is the term used to describe bullying over the Internet or a mobile phone.

For example:

  • Making fun of a person’s chat-room or forum nickname.
  • Sending rude or threatening text messages from the Internet.
  • Sending obscene or offensive content during chats.
  • Sending obscene content during chats.
  • Making fun of another person by creating profile or blog copies with false   or humiliating information.
  • Uploading private videos or photos of someone without their consent.

Cyber-bullying usually occurs through instant messengers such as AIM,  Skype or MSN Messenger, or through sites like MySpace, FaceBook, hi5, or  even media sites such as YouTube. Cellular phones that can send SMS or  photos and videos captured using a cellular phone may also be used as a  means of cyber-bullying.

Grooming

...is when an adult approaches and manipulates a teenager in order to exploit.

  • The first step of grooming is to gain the trust of a teenager.
  • This may occur through messenger programs, forums or Social  Networking Sites. The person grooming may appear to be important. That  makes it easier to become a teen's friend.
  • The goal of these interactions is to arrange a meeting with the  teen, or to manipulate the teenager and obtain personal photographs or  video.
  • Grooming can be the cause of psychological harm due to the  psychomanipulation and seduction used by the groomer. It also  creates a harmful model of relationships.   Grooming is a very serious offense that requires immediate
    attention. It may require direct cooperation with the police,   motivating the teenager to report the offense and working with the   victim’s family.

Signals of grooming may be:

  • Showing interest or preference for a particular teenage or expressing a willingness to meet in person.
  • Sending pornographic images, videos or links to a teen.
  • Leading a conversation towards sexual or age-inappropriate   topics.
  • Asking a teen to share personal or intimate images.
  • Giving benefits or allowing a teenager to get away with   inappropriate behavior.
  • Sharing problems or issues with a teen which are not age   appropriate.

 

Hacking

...is the term used to describe an attempt to digitally break into someone's computer without them knowing.

  • This can be quite distressing because someone may have accessed  personal files, accounts and information.
  • The hacked may go on to perform a range of activities, such as fraud  or publicly disseminating personal information.
  • In other cases, the hacker's activities may cause the deletion of important files or damage to the computer, which may also cause  significant distress.
Phishing

...is the term used to describe an attempt to get someone's security passwords, personal information, user-names and other information in order to commit fraud or extortion.

  • Phishing emails are usually disguised as a legitimate enterprise or call for help, offering a large bulk of information which is
     supposed to convince the receiver that the subject of the email is
     true.
  • For example, phishing emails may describe how the receiver has  won the lottery in another country or has inherited a large amount  of money from a distant relative. The emails are usually portrayed  as coming from a national authority or legal representative, who  asks for a down-payment to be made in order for the total sum of  money to be transferred to the receiver's bank-account.
  • Unsuspectingly, the receiver shares his/her banking details and  personal information, only to find out that all the money in their  bank-account has been withdrawn. The fact that the receiver gave  his/her consent and sensitive details makes the matter very  complicated from a legal standpoint.
Internet addiction

...is the excessive use of the computer that interferes with daily life. Although this may seem ambiguous, there are cases where teens spend numerous hours on end playing computer games, chatting, or surfing the net while forgetting their responsibilities or even to eat.

From a behavioral standpoint, it may be considered a compulsive behavior, clinically defined as a behavior which is performed not because it is enjoyable but  because the individual feels that he or she has to.

Inappropriate content

...is a label for any sort of Internet content, whether verbal, visual or audio which may be illicit, dangerous, or age-inappropriate and yet publicly available.

  • Due to the size and scope of the Internet, it caters to a huge variety of interests and subjects.
  • Without the proper guidance or filtering software, teenagers may  purposefully or even by accident access pages with content which  may cause significant distress.
  • Such content may be violent, pornographic, racist, or insulting.
  • Watching such content may cause mess in inner world of a teen, cause  feelings of anxiety and danger. In the case of watching pornography, it may  also distort psycho-sexual development, encourage a teen to actions against  himself or others, or even encourage a teenager to meet people who can hurt  him/her.
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